6 things to watch, Part 2: Saints at Seahawks

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It’s certainly possible, and you’d have to think that inclement weather would favor the Seahawks.

According to Weather.com as of this writing, the forecast is for rain and snow showers, with a 50 percent chance of precipitation.

This report detailed that there isn’t much accumulation expected, but obviously, any kind of snow or ice on the field could play a factor.

So who would it favor? Conventional wisdom says Seattle would be better suited for it, though conventional wisdom isn’t used to a Seahawks running game that was nearly the worst in franchise history. That’s usually where those kind of cold, snowy games are won – on the ground and in the trenches.

And even though the Saints play indoors, they’ve done just fine away from the Superdome this year. Still, their rushing attack is hurting, too (no Chris Ivory, no Pierre Thomas), though they probably still have a slight edge over the Seahawks in that department since Reggie Bush is still at their disposal.

“My expectation is that is what it will be, and you manage that depending on how bad it is and how hard it is coming down,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said of the possibility of rain. “Does it change our game plan a whole lot? No. You definitely put a big priority on handling the snap, the exchanges and throwing the football.”

Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck doesn’t think Brees will rattle easily, regardless of how loud or cold it is. As mentioned in Part 1 of our things to watch, New Orleans is 6-2 on the road this season.

“I’d be shocked if Drew was surprised by anything,” Hasselbeck said. “He’s a great player, one of the best. I consider him a friend. He’s a guy I look up to in a lot of ways. …It’s a tough situation to come on the road and play a playoff game, no doubt, but if anyone can handle it, he can.”

5. The USC connection.
Pete Carroll said Bush was upset that his broken leg kept him out of the teams’ first meeting this season, because he wanted the chance to play against Carroll, who coached him during Carroll’s legendary run at Southern Cal.

“He really was trying to get back on that day,” Carroll said. “I think it was the next week he got back. Before I talked to him, they had just told him he didn’t get to play in the game and they were going to hold him out and he was upset about it, too.”

So if Bush is the featured back for the Saints on Saturday, he may have a little added motivation. So might Julius Jones, who will be facing his former team and will likely split carries with Bush.

But it’s Bush’s athleticism that could really burn the Seahawks.

“He is an unusual, unusually gifted football player that no matter who watches the film, you’re going to say, ‘We gotta do something here, because he can do this, this and this,’” Carroll said. “He has his own kind of boundaries of things he does that you need to understand or he’ll leave you in the dust.”

Leaving Seattle in the dust – against his former coach – would be a good way for Bush to emphatically remind everyone that he’s still one of the more gifted athletes in the league.

6. OK, they finally ran the ball. Now do it again.

Marshawn Lynch and the right side of the Seahawks’ offensive line finally started clicking in the fourth quarter of their 16-6 win over the Rams last week, helping the team narrowly avoid the worst rushing season in franchise history.

Carroll credited right tackle Sean Locklear and right guard Mike Gibson for paving the way during that stretch.

Locklear, however, didn’t practice this week while tending to a family issue. He returned to the team on Friday, as expected, though Carroll said earlier in the week that they’d have to evaluate if the right tackle would be ready to play. If not, Stacy Andrews – who started 12 consecutive games at right guard before being moved to the inactive list in Week 15 and staying there for the last three games of the regular season – is ready to go.

Though the assumption here is that Locklear makes the start. Which means he and Gibson have a chance to team up again and help Lynch, Justin Forsett and Leon Washington get going again.

“He knows how to play the game – he’s played in a Super Bowl – so I’m sure he’s going to come back probably fresher than any of us since he’s off his feet,” Seattle offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates said of Locklear. “So we look forward to him having safe travels back.”